


Quantico

by KadiRose0101



Series: Serendipity | Derek Morgan [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Behavioral Analysis Unit (Criminal Minds), F/M, Serial Killer, criminal, criminal minds - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:21:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28473102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KadiRose0101/pseuds/KadiRose0101
Summary: Elizabeth Afton joins the BAU team after a need for a change after working several long years at Scotland Yard. She was the head of her department, but she's desperate for a challenge. So, she takes the long trip from London, England to Quantico, Virginia, and finds an outstanding intelligent team that hunts down the United States' most prolific serial killers. Along the way, she may even find love with a certain man.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Elizabeth Afton
Series: Serendipity | Derek Morgan [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2085540





	Quantico

**Author's Note:**

> "She did not know the nature of her loneliness. The only words that named it were: This was not the world I expected."  
> \- Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Elizabeth Afton woke up early in the morning around 5 AM. She knew she was going to have a very long day ahead of her. She pulled the covers off of her before standing up. She stretched with her arms above her head and let out a yawn. She usually got up around this time, but the anxiety from the night before had left her restless. It had taken her an unusually long time to fall asleep.

She pulled the sheets and duvet back into place, leaving the bed looking neat. She walked into the ensuite bathroom that was attached to her bedroom and looked in the mirror. Her hair was sticking in several directions, symbolizing perfectly how restless she had been, tossing and turning for hours.

She sighed lightly before pulling off the silky nightgown and throwing it into her small dirty laundry sack which she shoved into her suitcase. She went back and turned the shower on, letting the water warm up before stepping in. The water washed over her body, relaxing her tense muscles.

Elizabeth always got anxious before a big change and this was no excuse. She was going to be moving to a different country after living in that same one for her entire life. She would be moving from London, England to Quantico, Virginia. Two vastly different environments with different governments and rules and wildly different views.

It was a massive change that she didn't know if she was ready for, but there was no way to know if she didn't give it a try. She had been debating for months if this would be a good option and decided to take the leap.

She had been with Scotland Yard for the past 7 years and was ready for a change. She was good friends with Kate Joyner and had also been her coworker for several years before she moved to New York.

When she was still in England, she had been a stellar detective and investigator for Scotland Yard and had become Elizabeth's best friend. During their time working together, Elizabeth had been introduced to SSA Aaron Hotchner of the Behavioral Analysis Unit with the FBI. The three of them had worked together on a case that had the mutual interest of the British government and the American government.

She hadn't gotten to know him as well as Kate had, but he seemed like a nice enough man and she could see herself working with him again.

Due to her dual citizenship and good reputation she was able to move to America and work for their government. Specifically the FBI. Aaron had been able to put in a good word for her with Chief Strauss and they accepted her request. She would be starting the day after she arrived.

Elizabeth finished up her shower after washing her hair and body. She wrapped a towel around her body and wrung her hair out, making sure her hair wouldn't drip all over the floor. She walked back out to the barren-looking bedroom and grabbed her undergarments, slipping them on.

She hung up the towel, letting it dry as much as possible. She went on with the rest of her routine, still warm from the shower, not wanting to put her clothes on quite yet. She blow-dried her long brown hair and brushed her teeth. She threw on a little sunscreen, assuming it was sunnier in Virginia than in London.

She threw on a simple pair of black leggings, a light pink knit hoodie, and a pair of converse sneakers. She was going to be on a plane for the next twelve hours, so she figured she might as well be comfortable. Plus, she wasn't going to be meeting anyone from the team today. She packed her carry-on bag with a copy of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - which had already been read several times and dogeared roughly forty times -, a pair of earbuds, and a small throw blanket. She always got cold easily, so it was good to have another layer in case she started to feel like an icicle.

Once she was sure she had the rest of her belongings packed into her suitcase, she zipped it up and grabbed her carry-on bag. She turned the lights off inside and headed down to the lobby.

The rest of her belongings had already been shipped to her new home in Virginia and she had ordered new furniture since it would be too difficult to move that with her. She was excited to decorate her new location and look around the new area she would be calling home.

She took the elevator down to the first floor and saw that the usual attendant, Andrew, was standing at the desk, looking at the computer. She walked over to him and he looked up with a smile on his face.

"Heading out already, Lizzy?" He spoke and she shivered, feeling uncomfortable by being called the nickname.

"Yes, my flight leaves at 7." She started to feel a little more melancholy as she realized she would be leaving the country she knew so well. "Uh, here's the keys to the flat." She spoke and handed the keys over to him.

"Have a safe flight," he said and he motioned to the door when he saw her lift appear.

She looked behind her and saw the cabby waiting outside. She sighed and then looked back to him with one last smile.

"Bye Andy, I'll text you sometime." She spoke and then waved.

She grabbed her suitcase and slung her carry-on bag over her shoulder and walked out the doors to the cabby parked in front of the building. The older gentleman got out and opened the trunk for her and she lifted her suitcase inside and he closed it.

He got back into the driver seat and she sat down in the back. He looked back at her with a smile.

"Where to, darling?" He asked in his heavy Edinburgh accent.

"Heathrow LHR, please." She spoke softly and he nodded before turning around.

He started the cab and began to drive away. She looked at the window, looking at the familiar streets that she had grown so accustomed to over her entire life. They passed by Scotland Yard on the way and she felt tears coming to her eyes.

She blinked her eyes a few times. Cripes, when did I become such a crybaby? She thought to herself. She blamed it on the lack of sleep from the night before. It happened every once in a while if she slept a little rough.

It was reasonable to be emotional though. She was leaving the country she had grown up in, leaving her friends and family members, and leaving the team she had been working with for the past seven years. It made sense to feel sad while saying goodbye to the familiarity of comfort and the known. America would be a world of unknowns and she didn't know anyone there except for Aaron and David.

The cabby had called her name and she looked over to him and then back out the window, realizing that they had arrived at the airport. She blinked her eyes a few times in surprise.

"Sorry, thank you," she spoke and handed him a few pounds.

Elizabeth got out of the cab and grabbed her suitcase and bag. She closed the trunk and waved to the cabby and he drove off. She took a deep breath before walking into the airport.

It was already bustling with activity this early in the morning, plenty of people leaving for trips around the world or country. Some were going on vacation, some on business trips, and some to new home destinations.

She walked to her terminal and saw the desk to check-in. She walked up to it and handed the woman her ticket which she punched and then handed back after typing something into the computer. She then went to find a seat and wait to be called to board.

A short while later, she was called to board and made her way towards first class, finding her seat quickly. She sat down and got comfortable, pulling out her book and earbuds. She didn't open it yet but had it sitting there, ready to open as soon as they were in the air.

She would probably end up falling asleep at some point during the flight, especially since she hadn't slept well the night before. Another woman sat down in the seat next to her. It was an older woman who kept to herself and didn't speak much, but she seemed kind enough.

The rest of the passengers boarded the plane soon after the first class. The flight attendants went through the safety procedure and where the emergency exits were and everyone buckled in. Elizabeth's least favorite part was the lift-off, the weird feeling of being at a different angle made it feel slightly unsettling, but as soon as they were in the air flying parallel, it felt more comfortable and she could forget they were in the air.

She buckled in and then rested her hands on the armrests and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. The older woman noticed her preparing herself and chuckled the slightest bit.

The plane soon took off into the air and Elizabeth felt her nerves skyrocket. She felt lightheaded and her fingertips tingle with the anxiety. She breathed deeply and tried not to focus on the feeling in her stomach. It would only be another minute of this and then it would be over.

The plane leveled out and she exhaled the air she hadn't realized she was holding. She opened her eyes and stared at the small blank screen on the back of the chair in front of her. She focused on herself and was able to unclench her hands from the armrests and reach for her book.

She grabbed for her earbuds and plugged them into her MP3 player, turning on classical music that she frequently listened to. She then opened her book and dug her nose into it, getting lost in the story of capitalism, reason, and individualism.

After a few hours of reading, she put it down when she felt her eyes starting to drop. She dog-eared the page for the umpteenth time and set it in her bag. She pulled her blanket out and covered up, curling up in her chair, looking out the window, and falling into a peaceful slumber.

The next time she woke was to the older woman, shaking her shoulder gently. Her eyelids fluttered open and she realized they had landed.

Elizabeth rolled up her blanket, grabbed her book, and winded her earbuds around her MP3 player before shoving them back into her carry-on bag. She cracked her back and then stood up. She waited for her row to file off of the plane and soon she was stepping onto the tarmac at Dulles Airport.

She felt the sun beating down on her skin and smiled. It was a beautiful day in the middle of July so it was exceptionally warm outside. She wanted to stand there and bask in it forever. There were nice days in England as well, but they were less frequent.

She moved towards the building and made her way to the baggage claim. She watched suitcases move around the rectangular belt and waited for hers to appear. Once she saw it coming, she stepped forward and grabbed it.

She picked her phone out of her pocket and looked at what the clock said, showing 2:15 pm. Around this time in the day, she would usually be eating dinner in the UK. The time difference definitely threw her off. She put her phone back in her pocket and started heading for the entrance when she heard someone call her name.

She whipped around and searched for the voice when she saw a man walking towards her. She recognized him as Aaron Hotchner. It had been a few years since they had seen each other, but he still looked the same.

Elizabeth smiled. "Hey Aaron," she spoke.

"Elizabeth," he said with a small smile in return.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Well, I figured I could give you a ride instead of making you take a cab." He spoke.

She smiled kindly. "You didn't have to do that!" She spoke.

"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to show you a familiar face when you got here." He said and she felt warmth fill her heart.

He reached and grabbed her suitcase. She was about to object but he stopped her. He motioned her to follow along. She already felt welcome in her new home especially with Aaron giving her a warm welcome.

They made their way outside of the airport and out to the parking lot and spotted an SUV towards the front. They made the short walk and he placed her suitcase in the trunk. He gestured to the passenger side for her to get in. She walked around and got in, feeling awkward sitting on the right side of the car instead of the left.

He started the car and pulled out of the parking spot and then driving away from the airport. It was already a wildly different look from England with a different landscape. The buildings were more spread out and in this area, the buildings were only two or three stories tall. The houses were bigger and the land between them was wider.

She had only seen her house in pictures and on a video call with the realtor. She couldn't get the best view, but from what she saw it looked nice enough. She was excited to finally see it in person.

On the drive, Aaron and she conversed.

"Are you excited to start with the BAU?" He asked.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Very," she responded. "It's definitely going to be different from Scotland Yard."

Aaron chuckled. "That's for sure. Your team over there does things efficiently, but different."

"I'm excited to do something different though. I enjoyed Scotland Yard, but I was ready for a change." Elizabeth explained.

"Strauss didn't have a hard time agreeing for your transfer. Your experience impressed her." Aaron spoke with pride.

Elizabeth was pleased with the news of Strauss's approval. She had worked exceptionally hard when she was at Scotland Yard. She always spent hours at home working on cases and stayed late at the office to look into different leads. She had also succeeded in solving many investigations while she was there. Sometimes it helped to have two Ph.D.'s.

Everyone who worked with her was genuinely surprised when they found out that she had two Ph.D.'s - one in psychology and the other in law enforcement. She was dedicated to her studies, determined to use that information and education to help catch criminals.

"Do you have any family living in England?" He asked.

"My mum and brother are there, but I don't see them often." She paused. "We all work busy schedules so it was hard to get together. My mum is in social work and then my brother is a police officer in Manchester. He's trying to become a detective, so he's been putting in a lot of hours lately." She explained.

"What about your father?" He asked.

She sighed. "He lives in New York, but I don't speak to him. My mum and he split up when I was thirteen and haven't talked since." She explained briefly, not enjoying the subject.

She felt bitter thinking about her father. He wasn't a kind man and certainly had not been appropriate with the way he manipulated her when she was younger. He was supposed to be a father and turned out to be an abuser in several ways - emotional, physical, and ... - but it had always been behind closed doors. Her mother hadn't known for years.

"Do you miss them?"

She nodded. "I do, but I think they'll be alright. I'm sure I'll still visit every once in a while." She said.

They created other small talk on the drive to her new home and soon arrived in front. It was a simple two-story home with a nice front porch on the front side of the house. It was rather suburban-looking. The siding was a light brown - almost beige - color and the main trim for the windows and shutters were white. The front door was mostly glass, but the wood of the door was painted white to match the trim.

Also, in the driveway was her new car, which was a 2006 Peugeot SUV, the newest model. It was a dark green color and the windows were slightly tinted.

Aaron pulled into the driveway and parked. "Here you are," he spoke and she looked over at him with a smile.

"I'll see you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow morning," she responded.

He chuckled. "Perfect," he said.

She hopped out of the passenger seat and closed the door before running around to the trunk, grabbing her suitcase. She walked around on the driver's side and Aaron had rolled down his window.

"Let me know if you need anything, alright?" He questioned.

"Sure," she said. Aaron started to back out of her driveway and she called out. "Aaron?"

He peaked his head out the window. "Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said earnestly.

He smiled. "Of course, Elizabeth."

He pulled out of the driveway and waved to her before driving off. She walked up to the front door and bent down to look under the doormat. She saw a small keyring with three keys on it underneath. She grabbed them before unlocking the front door.

She pushed the door open and stepped inside. A feeling of contentment washed through her body as she looked at the interior before her. It was still rather empty looking because the walls were empty, but there were boxes littered around the first floor and plastic-wrapped furniture.

The realtor she had hired had let the furniture company into the house to drop off the new items she had purchased. She would spend the rest of the day hanging up items on the walls and unwrapping the furniture, doing some laundry, and maybe grocery shopping if she got to it.

The first thing she did was head upstairs to her bedroom. She walked in and saw how huge it was. She thought back to her bedroom back in England and thought about how much smaller her bedroom was there compared to this one. It was slightly startling. Well, she should have expected this. Americans do everything bigger and sometimes better.

The walls of the room were painted a warm tan color with white trim. There were two windows along the far wall on the left side that had sheer white curtains in front of them. There was a king-size bed in the middle of the room which felt like it barely filled any space in comparison to the size of the room. There was a dark wooden headboard behind the mattress and bed frame.

There was a dresser pushed up against the right wall with the same wood color as the headboard. She planned on maybe getting an armchair for the other corner of the room by the windows, a small sitting area for reading.

She set her suitcase down on the floor and walked over to a box that was sitting in the corner. It was labeled 'bedding' and remembered she had bought a new duvet and a new cover that was a dark orange color with mandala patterns. It wasn't something she would usually pick, but she was trying something different with the bohemian style.

Her flat back in London seemed to be very monotone with greys and dark blues. It seemed dull and depressing and she wanted to try something more vibrant instead of gloomy. She knew that this job was going to be different as well and brighter colors might improve her mood when she is surrounded by horrible crimes every day.

She opened the box and unfolded the packages that were stuffed inside. She pulled the duvet out and worked the duvet cover onto it. After struggling for a moment, she was able to get it on. She pulled the sheets onto the bed and then pulled the duvet on top. She slid the pillowcases onto the pillows and threw them on top as well.

Elizabeth unpacked a few more items, like decorations and that kind of stuff. Her favorite item was her incense burner. Something about incense was very calming to her and she had gotten into meditation recently, finding it very relaxing and peaceful.

After that, she moved to the ensuite bathroom, unpacking her toiletries and stringing the shower curtain onto the rod, a pale yellow fabric. There was a clawfoot tub and a large shower right behind that.

She went through the house, unpacking boxes and placing different decorations around the house. She unwrapped the couch downstairs and the armchairs she had purchased. The couch was a dark brown sectional and the armchairs were a lighter brown than the sectional. There was a flatscreen TV mounted above the mantle of the fireplace. It was a nice and open social space.

The living room was right off of the foyer and on the other side of the foyer was an office space where she had a desktop computer and two bookcases which she would be gladly filling with any books she placed her hands on. She was an avid reader and happily spent hours absorbing herself into whatever story she was reading.

After hours of bustling about the house, she had unpacked all of the boxes she had and hung up most of the wall hangings and picture frames. It was starting to feel like a home.

She felt sweaty and disgusting from all the moving around and running around her new home. She decided that a shower was in order. She quickly headed upstairs to her bedroom and grabbed a pair of panties and some lounging clothes before heading to her ensuite bathroom.

She showered up quickly, washing her hair and body before stepping out. She dried off before slipping her clothing on, adorning an oversized black Nirvana t-shirt and green plaid pajama shorts. She threw her hair up into a messy bun and then went back downstairs.

Elizabeth realized that she was hungry and didn't have any food in the house yet. She groaned in frustration and decided that Chinese food sounded good. It was only 8 pm, so a majority of places were still open. She dialed them up and soon she had food on the way.

Her food arrived soon afterward and she got up, heading to the front door. She paid for her food and went back inside. She sat down at the island in the kitchen on a barstool and dug into her udon noodles and rice.

After she ate, she was full and ready to get some rest. She threw away her take out boxes and put her fork in the sink. She drank a glass of water and then headed upstairs after turning off the lights downstairs.

She pulled back the covers on her bed and got in, snuggling underneath. She flipped the switch off on the lamp and got comfortable. She let out a yawn and she slowly faded off into a peaceful slumber.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day.


End file.
